It seems straightforward enough. As the U.S. Constitution states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Generally, that’s accurate. People born in any of the 50 states, one federal district (Washington, DC) and four major territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands) are automatically U.S. citizens. However, in one American territory — American Samoa, which has been held by the U.S. for more than 120 years — they aren’t. They celebrate U.S. holidays, serve in the U.S. military, hold American passports, and can live anywhere else in the United States they like. However, they aren’t United States citizens. Instead, American Samoans are U.S. “nationals” — a small but significant distinction that precludes them from voting, running for office, and holding jobs in a narrow selection of fields, including law enforcement. They can become U.S. citizens after moving to the mainland, but the process is long, requires passing a history test, and costs at least $725 — before legal fees — without any guarantee of success. A handful of American Samoans living in the United States have attempted to challenge the status quo, but without success.
